Marketers: NJ post-Sandy ads good but too late

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Tourism promoters say the state’s advertising campaign to let people know the Jersey shore was open for business was good, but came too late to save the summer.

Representatives of tourism and business agencies told a state Assembly committee Thursday that New Jersey needs to have a new tourism campaign ready within a few weeks if it wants to prevent next summer from being affected.

Numerous tourism officials all said they liked New Jersey’s “Stronger Than The Storm” ads, featuring Gov. Chris Christie. But they all said the Memorial Day weekend debut was way too late to help drive new traffic to the shore last summer.

Sharon Franz of the New Jersey Travel Industry Association says January and February are when most people make their summer vacation plans.